Dear reader,
Today I wanted to start not by talking about me, but by you! I hope you enjoy reading my posts about how my creating life is taking shape, day by day. I started painting 2,5 year ago. I had already been craving to start before, but I was afraid I did not have the ‘talent’, I would make horrible paintings, I would never finish something, I did not have the right materials to start with, etcetera, etcetera.
Finally, on the first januari of 2015 I started painting, thanks to a 30days-project, initiated by Leslie Saeta (30 paintings in 30 days). It was a wonderful experience to finally start painting and not give up!
What I have learned over the course of these 2,5 years, is how important it is to create a habit, if possible a daily habit, that you do not break, or at least be as true to your intention as possible. And the second: to make the barriers as low as possible. So starting with only a small drawing on the back of a businesscard is more than enough to get your creativity up and running.
So my question to you is: do you have these creative yearnings? If so: please, don’t let them beg, but give them a little bit attention by starting a creative habit today. Maybe just 5 minutes playing around with the crayons of your children. Even if you don’t have any materials around, take a pencil or a pen and start doodling for 3 minutes. Be as ‘childlike’ as you can be. Slowly but steadily your habit can grow, and your creativity will start to flourish.
To sum it up:
1.Start!
2. Keep your standars REALLY low!
Today I worked again for about half an hour or so on the three paintings in progress. I had been hesitating to work on them, because they looked already so nice, but were clearly not finished.
Actually: I did not do a lot. Only adding Quinocridone Nickel Azo Gold (this miraculous stuff), and titanium white. (and some drawing and scribbling). And to my surprise one of the three paintings is getting almost done.
I have no pictures yet (due to iClour-problems and a computer that is completely filled up), I hope I can post these pictures this afternoon.
Have fun creating today, even if it is just for 3 minutes!
Simone
Yay! You figured out how to get the photos uploaded! Better than a cup of coffee (in fact, WAY better for me, since I drink decaf!). I especially like the ‘scritchy’ scribbles in the one you worked on today that you see as most done. I very much like the series feel of these three. I want to give attention to series paintings soon, although that was my goal with the two 12/24″ pieces I am working on now and in no time at all they diverged from each other—I’m waiting to see whether or not they end of looking like a related pair in the end.
Hi Dotty,
Thanks for your enthusiastic reaction, and it is a nice idea that my art can be a ‘hit’ for somebody -)
After your comment I immediately thought about more possibilities of connecting my iphone to the computer, and then I thought of Evernote (do you work with it?).
That worked!
I hope you have a wonderful and very low-barriered painting day 😉
It’s ironic that you talk about being afraid you did not have ‘talent’ and would make horrible paintings, because I look forward to seeing your lively, colorful, captivating paintings every day, and today I am SO disappointed that you were not able to post a photograph—I need my ‘hit’ for the day!
I enjoyed reading the short history of your painting life of the past 2.5 years, and I especially liked your discussion of making the barriers as minimal as possible. Sometimes I see a ‘smaller’ and ‘less accomplished’ day in my studio from a cup-half-empty perspective rather than as the cup-half-full fulfillment of my daily commitment to creativity that it is.
Your post today was further welcome because even with a well-established daily painting practice, there are occasions when I feel as though I am back at the beginning again, feeling doubts or discomforts, and your message reminds that I can just:
1.Start!
2. Keep my standards REALLY low!
Yup : )
I’ll check back later to see if you were able to post photos of today’s painting.